


something so precious about this

by isleysister



Series: carry me slowly my sunrise [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Captain America Sam Wilson, Fluff, M/M, Pining, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), general softness, if you think sam wilson isn't fully capable of being captain america you are Incorrect, yeah i used the hozier lyric generator for the title what about it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2020-02-28 05:50:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18750298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isleysister/pseuds/isleysister
Summary: “Take care of each other, Buck. Have his back for me, okay?”Bucky hadn’t thought twice before nodding.Hell, Steve didn’t even need to ask.For Sam, he’d do everything. Plain and simple.





	something so precious about this

**Author's Note:**

> i'm ignoring my other wip (who knows if that'll ever see the light of day tbh...) with this lovely bit of sambucky!  
> Sam is Captain America but he's also exhausted™️. Bucky's being the best stay at home cook and supportive friend possible. They both keep putting off talking about their feelings! It's great!

Bucky doesn’t move until he sees Sam’s long eyelashes flutter shut. Once Bucky is sure that Sam’s sound asleep, he slowly untangles his arms from around Sam, trying his best not to disturb him because, jesus, Sam needs all the sleep he can get.

Bucky turns off the TV before he rearranges the blanket to make sure Sam is fully covered. He finally makes his way to the kitchen to clean up the remains of dinner. Tonight was shrimp tacos. 

“Thank you, honey,” Sam had chirped when Bucky ushered Sam to the table and laid the plate in front of him.

Bucky had just mumbled “ 'welcome, sweetheart,” as Sam took his first bite. He was more nervous than he’d like to admit about Sam’s reaction but listen- the sautéing process is very easy to mess up.

Bucky obviously had no reason to worry though because Sam just moaned (a sound that definitely went straight to Bucky’s dick) before declaring it “Chef Barnes’ best meal yet,” like he always does. Every night Bucky cooks something new.

_ Always _ .

Bucky tosses that word around in his mind as he lets the sink fill up with soapy water.

He tries to pin down when the word “always” became so common, and how he’s come to associate it with Sam Wilson. 

If you had told Bucky 6 years ago that he’d have a full-on routine with Wilson that became so ingrained in Bucky that he automatically started doing the dishes after their Thursday movie nights, he would’ve called you crazy.

But now it’s Bucky’s new normal and he can’t say he’d rather be anywhere else.

That’s not to say Bucky didn’t develop a nice routine of sorts back in Wakanda. Bucky used to go to therapy, herd goats, and play the occasional soccer game with the local kids.

Now, Bucky goes to therapy, plays the occasional baseball game with the local kids, and if he’s got time (he usually does) he tries out some new hobbies (right now he’s trying his hand at cooking if the ambitious shrimp tacos didn’t make that obvious).

It’s not too different from before, except for the fact that Wakanda was a bit lonely. Steve called and Sam visited when he could, but it wasn’t the same. Now Bucky’s gotten so used to the daily ins and outs of living with Sam, he can’t fathom how he even managed before (which is saying a lot because Wakandan sunsets were something Bucky thought he wouldn’t trade the world for). 

In fact, Bucky is confused about a number of Sam-related things.

Bucky doesn’t know when he started to linger in Sam’s space for what he knows is way too long. He’s not sure why he feels like he’s allowed...like him and Sam have given each other the go-ahead to throw personal space aside without ever having an actual conversation about what it all means. 

Some days Bucky is more than confused. He’s afraid. Scared to even breathe wrong for fear of making Sam pull away. 

But either way, Bucky’s probably being paranoid.

So he ignores this “thing” they have going on.

Bucky ignores how domestic it is, that he always has dinner ready by the time Sam gets home from wherever the shield has taken him this time. 

He ignores how a while back, a brush of their fingers sent a spark of electricity up his spine. Now it’s been replaced by a familiar bloom of warmth in his chest.

He ignores how quickly they went from sleeping in two separate rooms to passing out on the sofa together every time they have a free night. Ignores how common it is for him to wrap an arm around Sam during those nights when they can’t sleep, while they just talk about nothing till one of them finally succumbs to their exhaustion.

Just tonight, he ignored the curious looks Sam threw at him when he caught Bucky staring during their watch of Beverly Hills Cop. (Sam’s definitely watched it a thousand times because he mumbled almost every punchline under his breath with this stupid smile on his face and honestly how can you not expect Bucky to stare?)

Bucky swallows down every moment as soon as it passes. If he thinks on them too much, he’ll go and do something stupid and mess everything up and that’s the last thing Bucky wants. 

As Bucky scrubs another pot, he thinks back to the promise he made to Steve before the knucklehead decided to leave.

_ “Take care of each other, Buck. Have his back for me, okay?”  _

Bucky hadn’t thought twice before nodding.

Hell, Steve didn’t even need to ask.

For Sam, he’d do everything. Plain and simple.

But Sam’s not asking for everything. He rarely asks for anything at all, despite what the critics say about the new Cap, despite how the missions seem to pile up, despite how Sam hasn’t gotten a full nights sleep in weeks.

Bucky moves the last dish into the drying rack when a sound behind him makes him turn sharply. But it’s just Sam, looking sleepy-eyed and irritable as he plops down on one of the chairs at the kitchen counter.

“Why do you do that?” Sam asks with surprising purpose packed into each word.

Bucky scoffs. Sam’s been awake for less than 1 minute and he’s already upset.

“Do what exactly?” Bucky says as he dries his hands and sidles up to the side of the counter facing Sam. 

“The opposite of what I ask. You said you’d make sure I stayed awake!”

Bucky shrugs. 

“I lied.”

Sam buries his face into his hands and Bucky’s glad because now he can openly smile at Sam’s adorable grumpiness. “ ‘M gonna be up all night now. You happy?” 

“No,” Bucky says cloyingly. “My plan was to keep you asleep until morning. Get you on one of those normal people sleep schedules so we don’t have you falling asleep at the wheel again.”

Sam lifts his head from his hands, looking so offended you would think Bucky just insulted his mama.

“How many times do I- I wasn’t falling asleep! I was perfectly fine-”

Bucky holds up his hands in surrender.

“Okay sweetheart, you’re right. You did not almost kill us because you were falling asleep.” Sam starts to mutter a  _ thank you _ but Bucky cuts him off. “You almost killed us because you were trying to break the record for world’s longest blink.”

Sam throws his hands in the air and begins to protest but he gives up when he sees Bucky’s still laughing.

“Why do you love to patronize me?” Sam asks dryly, but by the smile on his face, Bucky knows he’s not really mad.

“Why do you make it so fun?”

Sam just shakes his head. “Thanks by the way.” Bucky turns his head and Sam points at the sink. “The dishes. Tonight was my turn.”

Bucky shrugs.

“Don’t worry bout it. Cap shouldn’t be worried about a few dirty dishes.”

Bucky instantly regrets bringing up Sam’s day job because his words immediately make Sam’s smile droop into a frown.

“Cap would gladly take doing some dishes over getting his ass handed to him on a regular basis.”

And nope, that’s where Bucky has to stop him.

“Sam, you know that’s not true. You’ve been doing amazing.” Sam doesn’t respond, just toys with the end of his shirt sleeve. “Those hydra agents you rounded up in Brazil? Those kids you saved from that wired warehouse on Ridge street? That human trafficking ring in Tucson that you took down in a week? That-”

“Okay, okay I’m sorry. I’m doing...okay,” Sam permits. “Sometimes I wonder if it’ll ever feel like it’s enough though.”

Bucky doesn’t have the answer to that, and he’s pretty sure Sam isn’t asking him for it either. He’s not even sure Steve would know. And while Bucky wishes he could just punch every person who doubts Sam in the face, he can’t. What he can do is offer his support. 

Bucky makes his way around the table and wraps his arms around Sam. He hears Sam’s sharp intake before he slowly exhales and squeezes back.

“You know if you need backup, I’m just a call away.”

“I know,” Sam mumbles into Bucky’s shoulder. “Thank you.” Sam says the words so gently, it almost breaks Bucky’s heart. 

He holds onto Sam for a few more seconds, before he figures his hug did an ok job. He pulls back, and Sam follows suit, but he does it so achingly slow. Sam’s fingers trace sparks into Bucky’s skin as he moves his arms downward until they’re no longer touching. But they’re still so close, Bucky can feel Sam’s breath against his skin.

Their eyes catch and Bucky just gazes into Sam’s dark, liquid eyes. Just like that he wants to throw this in-between state aside, wants to stop tiptoeing around how he feels. He wants to take Sam’s face in his hands and kiss him all over, let him know how special he is, how precious.

He feels his fingers itching and he just about does it before Sam’s phone goes off. 

And with Bucky’s luck that timing just about makes sense.

Sam clears his throat before he rushes to answer, effectively killing the moment.

“Wassup, Hill?” Sam says into the phone. “Yeah, I was just...up. Is something wrong?”

Bucky prays to god he doesn’t have to leave just yet. 

Hill murmurs on the other end, but he can’t make out what she’s saying.

“Are you sure? It’s no problem for me to-no, no. I know it’s important. I just want-okay, okay, no need to threaten me. Will do. Thanks, Maria.” 

Sam ends the call before turning around with his arms raised. “The Eddie Murphy marathon may proceed!”

Bucky eyebrows must go up to his hairline. 

“Sam, it’s literally 2:00 am.” It’s like Sam is _trying_ to become an insomniac.

“Hill’s forcing me to take tomorrow off,” Sam explains. 

The worry in Bucky’s chest settles and he can’t help but start fuckin clapping, he’s so relieved.

“As she should!”  Bucky motions for Sam to head to the couch before reaching for the kitchen light. “Shall we?”

Sam starts moving toward the worn out sofa, throwing a “we shall!” over his shoulder.

They put on Trading Places and again become a tangle of arms and legs under the blanket. Bucky goes back to not so sneakily glancing at Sam just to catch the grin on his face before each joke.

He thinks that even though it’s maddening, walking this line with Sam, he can do it for just a little bit longer. They have time. 

**Author's Note:**

> it's sambucky and sam appreciation hours till infinity on my tumblr @thotchalla  
> Kudos and comments are v appreciated!!


End file.
